The age for joining Freemasonry is being lowered. In the past, candidates had to be male, at least 21 years of age, able to profess a belief in God, and of good character. Now, however, many Grand Lodges have lowered this to 19 or 18. Check the Grand Lodge for your jurisdiction for further clarification on rules as they apply there. For a listing of age requirements, please visit http://www.bessel.org/age.

Well, the Ball, Kerr or Atlas jars tend to be fairly common. However, some jars can be worth more depending on the actual embossing. (Especially dealing with Ball jars.) Jars with unusually bright colors are worth more. These were generally made at the end of a run and contain sediments and chemicals that color the glass. Amber colored jars tend to be worth more than clear or aqua jars, but this is not a hard and fast rule either.

In Indiana candidates must be male, at least 18 years of age, able to profess a belief in God, and of good character. Some Grand Lodges also have a residency requirement; for example, the Grand Lodge of Michigan requires candidates to have lived in its jurisdiction (Michigan) for a minimum of one year. There are some exceptions to the age requirement. For example, in England and Virginia, the direct relatives of Master Masons in good standing are eligible to join at the age of 18.

Clear beers are malt-based beverages that have had all their character removed completely leaving one to wonder "What's the point?" Clear beverages like Zima are not beers.

You must be at least 18 years of age and able to read and write in English. You must be in good health and physically able to perform the work of the trade. Finally, you must exercise good self-discipline and be willing to follow through on each and every project you undertake. Check our Services page to learn more about our apprenticeship program requirements.

and meet the non-physical criteria in question (1) of this section). Paraplegics have been made Masons, as have the blind, the deaf, and others with a variety of physical handicaps. Minor modifications may need to be done to the rituals (e.g., employing sign language, modifying points where the candidate stands if the candidate is in a wheelchair, etc.) but most Lodges are willing to accommodate candidates.

Below is some excerpted text of a booklet "What's A Mason?" produced by The Masonic Information Center, email: msana@ix.netcom.com The photos on this webpage are from our archives at Hoffman Lodge No. 412, F&AM.

Applicants should think of what they are attempting to permit and define what all the subject items for that permit will be. The Library is Subject Item driven and much time and effort can be saved with a little planning. A good guide to what can be found in the library, and which type of conditions should be included for each subject item is as follows: The Library contains default placeholders for TPY emissions. Other site-specific conditions (i.e. total production, reporting, etc.

This depends upon the course you are planning to study. For certain courses at Cambridge, some subjects are essential and some are desirable, while for others there are no subject requirements. Information about course requirements for all subjects are given at: www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/requirements/#course

KOFU does not make masons or hold Masonic Communion You will need to contact a Lodge in your area. [ We will be glad to assist you in making contact.]

The Scottish Rite awards a special honorary degree, the 33rd, to those it feels has made an outstanding contribution to Masonry, the community as a whole, and to mankind. There is no way to "achieve" this degree or "take" it, in the sense that one takes the 4th through 32nd degrees in the Scottish Rite. It is a singular honor, rarely bestowed, and greatly admired.

Yes. Like all organizations, Lodges must be able to pay their light bills. Typically, there is a one-time fee for the three degrees of Masonry, as well as regular annual dues. But these vary widely depending on the number of members, cost of living (rent in Manhattan is higher than it is in rural Oklahoma), the actual physical facilities of the Lodge, etc. The fees and dues, however, are not prohibitively expensive (the author is a college student and has no problem with them).

The only religious requirement is that candidates believe in the Supreme Being. If you can in you can in good faith profess a belief in the Supreme Being, you are eligible to be a Mason. No atheists will ever knowingly be made a Mason. There are Christian (Catholic, Protestant, Mormon), Jewish, and Muslim Masons. It would be tedious and pointless to go into a religion-by-religion (and then denomination-by-denomination) discussion.

Yes. Many Lodges open their installation of officers to the public. Once a year, a new Worshipful Master takes office. The ceremony performed during his inauguration is public. It is not the same ceremony as would be performed in a regular Masonic ritual or degree, but it does have the flavoring of Masonic symbolism and allows the public to "get a feel for Masonry" without being Masons. NOTE: Not all jurisdictions have public installations. Call or write your local lodge for details.

The only religious requirement is that candidates believe in the Supreme Being. If you can in you can in good faith profess a belief in the Supreme Being, you are eligible to be a Mason. No atheists will ever knowingly be made a Mason. There are Christian (Catholic, Protestant, Mormon), Jewish, and Muslim Masons. It would be tedious and pointless to go into a religion-by-religion (and then denomination-by-denomination) discussion.